Back at the helm - sailing the Yaghan to Antarctica, Patagonia and the South Pacific

by Martensson, Helene

  Our experience so far had made us very sceptical about roaming over the mobile network. Roaming means that you sign up with a Swedish service provider who uses the networks of their foreign partners for traffic outside Sweden. Apart from an unreasonably high tariff, we suspected that the traffic was not always registered properly. The first time we began to suspect it was when we received an invoice for 20,000 dollars for three days of alleged data traffic in the Canary Islands! According to our Swedish provider, Telia, we had sent 1,244 megabyte in three days! We pointed out that this was impossible to do via GPRS, which has a capacity of about twenty kilobits per second. It would have taken at least one hundred hours to send that much data, if it was even possible. Everyone who is familiar with GPRS knows that it would take even longer in practice because of the constant interruptions. I had received an invoice which was easy to contest. Also, I had spent the days in question on the beach and not at the computer. We had also logged our data use, which was normally about one hundred megabyte per month, or three megabyte per day. Ten megabyte in three days was therefore a more realistic figure than 1,244!

  Despite the clearly unreasonable invoice, the soldiers at Telia's customer complaints department were deployed and ordered to tell us that it was correct! They had spoken to the provider in the Canaries who had claimed everything was all right! I kept thinking of all those poor Telia customers who are wrongfully charged in ways that are less obvious. How could they ever win if Telia were adamant about my invoice? We contacted the managing director of Telia. He called one of his deputies who agreed that it was unreasonable. Some switchboard in the Canaries must have “got stuck”. I got my 20,000 dollars back. But it was a bit of a shock, both to get an invoice for so much money and that the Telia soldiers did not immediately realise that the figure was unreasonable. Do they not use their own products?

  We have come to the conclusion that we do not dare to roam on the mobile network. It was difficult for me to accept since I used to be on the Ericsson Board of Directors. You should really only use the mobile network at a fixed monthly rate. It is the only reasonable model. It is hard for customers to prove how many megabyte they use. You can get monthly rates in Sweden, but these do not include roaming abroad. You have to settle for the foreign operators’ tariffs.

  The only practical way of using the mobile network abroad for data traffic is to buy a local SIM card in countries where you are staying for a longer period. In many countries you will easily pay roughly the same tariff as people living in the Nordic countries. Ericsson's new FCT made it possible for us to use local SIM cards, which had not worked with our previous GPRS phones.

  A new alternator solution for the Volvo

  Our 100 ampere alternator on the main motor broke down for the first time when we were sailing in Brazil, after 1,600 hours. We discovered that most other boats were carrying spare alternators since they are considered a weak link. Hallberg-Rassy had experienced rather a lot of problems with Volvo alternators too. Ours was repaired in Argentina, but it broke down again after a few months. We managed anyway thanks to our large electricity genset – a 16 kW Westerbeke. We replaced the alternator in Chile and fitted it with an external regulator. This solution worked until we got to New Zealand, but we thought it unsafe with so many alternator break-downs. We wanted to find a better solution, one that we could use as a backup in case the Westerbeke broke down again. It broke down in Tonga.

  The Westerbeke powers three 100 ampere chargers. They charge an average of 167 ampere per hour, which means it takes three hours per day to recharge the 500 ampere hours that we consume. The 100 ampere alternator on the Volvo only charged about 60 ampere per hour during one cycle, which means it would take eight hours to recharge 500 ampere hours should the Westerbeke fail. This was not satisfactory. Moreover, one of the reasons why our old alternator broke down was that it quite simply was under-dimensioned. It had to work too hard in order to charge our large battery bank of 800 ampere hours. We had a new generator solution installed, which included the following: one 200 ampere Balmar alternator with thermal protection and an external air fan. We believed this would be a more sustainable solution and a backup worth the name in case the Westerbeke gave up. On the Balmar you can also lower the maximum effect in order to reduce the strain on brackets and belts, which we did. The maximum effect was reduced to sixty per cent, which meant that the alternator charged about 120 ampere at the most. The whole point was to increase reliability and life span. Should the Westerbeke break down, the Balmar could easily be tuned up to full power, i.e. 200 ampere.

  Improved ventilation in the engine room

  We had experienced problems with overheating in warm climates. One problem concerned the electronics and the space behind the main computer. This problem was solved by installing a simple computer fan that we bought for a few dollars. We then discovered that the problems in the engine room were due to overheating. The failed Volvo alternator may have been one of them. Fresh air needed to blow onto the new alternator. Furthermore, our Bauer diving compressor had broken down in Tonga: the superheating protections had triggered. This compressor is placed behind the Westerbeke, which always has to be on at the same time as the compressor. Therefore the Bauer can easily get hotter than 45°C, which is as much as it can withstand. That too needs to be supplied with intake air when it is running. We also wanted the Bauer to take its normal fresh air supply from a new outlet in the cockpit. This meant that three new air inlets had to be installed. The only possible place for new air inlets was in the cockpit. We made new hatches in the cockpit and installed the new air inlet from there. A smart cover in front of the glove compartment brought the noise down to an acceptable level.

  Upgrading shore power to 32 amperes

  When Yaghan was delivered, the two shore power cables were maximized to 16 amperes each since 16 amperes was standard in Swedish harbours at the time. It was sufficient for our power supply, but not for the air conditioning when we got down to the tropics. If you want to run all three units – which you need to do for a comfortable climate – you need 31 amperes. This is why we could never run more than one unit on shore power. That is not satisfactory when you have a good AC. We changed all this. The problem had never occurred to us at home since we hardly ever use the AC.

  Isolation transformers for shore power

  Isolation transformers protect against galvanic currents that may occur in the case of low standard shore power. They also protect against other problems associated with low quality shore power. When Yaghan was constructed, these transformers were made of copper and they were very large and heavy, so the shipyard discouraged us from installing them. Nor did we install a few simple galvanic isolators that only protect the boat from galvanic problems. This was a bad idea. Today, galvanic isolators are standard on all Hallberg-Rassys and on most other boat types. The shore power at Taina Marina in Papeete was of a low quality, many boats reported problems with galvanic corrosion. After we had been moored there for a few weeks, the shackle between the anchor and the chain was damaged. We sent it home for analysis, and it turned out that it was caused by galvanism. It was also a likely reason why the heat exchanger on the Westerbeke later broke down in Tonga. While we were having the boat serviced in Auckland we also discovered that the heat exchanger on the Volvo was damaged and needed replacing. The most likely reason was galvanic corrosion. The same problem occurred in Denarau on Fiji. You always need some form of protection against low quality shore power, the least you can do is to install galvanic isolators. Best of all, however, are isolation transformers that protect against other electricity problems. It turned out that Mastervold had launched a new type of electronic isolation transformer that was a lot smaller and lighter than the previous model. We decided to install two of these for the shore power cable that supplies most of the electricity on board and three for the cable that supplies the air conditioning, i.e. a total of five. We had one shore power cable for the air conditioning and one for all other electricity sup
ply. Each isolation transformer could withstand 16 amperes, and our shore power cables were upgraded to 32 amperes. It would require two isolation transformers per cable. The starting currents for the air conditioning are so powerful, however, that we decided to run three isolation transformers on this cable to avoid problems. Isolation transformers are a must if you want to travel round the world without any damage done.

  A new RIB type inflatable dinghy and fixed davits

  Yaghan was equipped with a dinghy that could be rolled up and stowed in the lazarette. She also had retractable telescopic davits. It was a system that worked reasonably well, but not well enough. The problem was that rubber bottomed dinghies tend to rip as they are pulled ashore or travel over coral reefs. Moreover, the outboard engine has to be removed every time it is brought up on the davits. It is a major operation when you are sailing in archipelagos and use the dinghy on a daily basis. We decided to buy an inflatable, fibre-glass bottomed dinghy (RIB). It cannot be stored in the lazarette and you need large, fixed davits. We installed an automatic lift for raising the new dinghy and motor. It is considerably more convenient when you are sailing around an archipelago. We still expected to remove the outboard engine during long ocean crossings. We also replaced our 10 HP engine with a 15 HP engine that the new RIB could take. We switched from Honda to Yamaha, which is better when you are sailing round the world since these can be serviced anywhere.

  An extra compressor for the fridge and a digital thermometer

  We had agreed on doubling all important functions, but we did not take it far enough. There were two compressors in our large onboard fridge, but only one in the freezer. There would be a problem if it broke down and all the food was spoilt. We were reminded of it when the freezer played up in Tahiti. We got it going again, but we felt a lot safer with two compressors for the freezer, so there would always be a backup. We also wanted to get a digital thermometer so we would know if the temperature went up inside the freezer.

  Bonding of all through-hull fittings

  The issues we had experienced with galvanic corrosion during our voyage had opened our eyes to this problem area. We wanted to avoid costly problems caused by galvanic corrosion in the future. In the US all through-hull fittings must be joined together by means of a wire and bonded to an anode. Unless you do this, the lead-throughs turn into “batteries” that cause galvanic currents. Yards in Scandinavia, for example Swan and Hallberg-Rassy, do not bond their boats, however. In their view it is not necessary if you use high-quality through-hull fittings. Orams recommended bonding. They had done it on a number of Swans over the years, several times in contact with the Finnish Nautor shipyard. We spent a long time thinking it over. One day a brand new X Yacht sank in Auckland harbour after a through-hull fitting had come lose. It was unclear whether it was due to galvanic corrosion, but we made up our minds as there were no negative effects as far as we could see, although we are still not entirely certain if it was the right thing to do. There are many conflicting opinions and there are dead certain advocates in both camps.

  The Westerbeke frequency meter

  We had experienced some problems with our Westerbeke, but it had never given up completely. During the final six months it failed to keep the pressure up under load. Sometimes it fell to below 200 volts even though it was not overloaded. It later turned out that a regulator needed replacing. We decided to fit a frequency meter so we could easily identify the problem in the future. A frequency meter on the genset is the same thing as a tachometer.

  A permanent oil change solution

  During the first six months of our voyage I did several major overhauls including four oil changes on the Volvo and five on the Westerbeke. Servicing both motors including oil changes takes a whole day if you are doing it properly. One problem is extracting the used oil, and I experienced a few problems with the hoses. The Auckland Volvo rep suggested that we install a permanent system that would make the procedure a lot easier. It was an excellent idea. I was surprised that nobody had suggested it before.

  Stoppers underneath the toilet seats

  A problem experienced by most sailors is that the toilet can sometimes break while you are in the head at the same time as the boat heels. There is a risk that you press it sideways so that the fittings snap. This can be solved by placing little stoppers on the underside of the seat that fit around the inside of the toilet bowl and prevent the seat from sliding. This simple solution ought be awarded a Nobel prize for the boating world. It is a mystery why manufacturers still have not thought of it. No one has introduced it as a standard as far as I know.

  Heated towel racks in the heads

  Towels never seem to dry when you are sailing in warm, humid climates. In cold climates, when the heating is turned on, there is no problem – they dry quickly. In the tropics, however, they can easily start to grow mouldy and start to smell, so we installed electric towel racks. They can be powered both from shore and via the inverter, and they are always hot. It significantly improves comfort on board.

  Running the air conditioning fans on the inverter

  The genset needs to be switched on if you are using the air conditioning, or you need access to shore power. The air conditioning is too energy consuming to be run on the inverter, but it would be helpful to run just the fans on it. Sometimes you want a little better air circulation on board. This was something that Hallberg-Rassy had in mind when the boat was built, but it was somehow forgotten. Now we were able to fix it.

  New reading lights throughout

  This was more of an aesthetic upgrade. The brass reading lights had become tarnished, and they did not look very nice anymore, so we replaced all reading lights.

  A new printer for Heléne's office

  A working printer on board a boat where everything is run on computers is essential. It is often easier to read things on paper than on screen. But printers have a short lifespan. The printer in Helénes office was not very good. We got a larger, better printer that would make things easier for Heléne at the same time as it would serve as yet another back-up.

  The new radar unit was moved from the backstay to the starboard stern post

  We were pleased about our two radar units, but not with the new unit on the backstay. It was, among other things, a question of aesthetics. So we decided to move the radar to the starboard stern post. It needed to be redesigned so that the antennas reached above the radar. A hoop was built around the radar and the antennas were fitted on top of it, which was a much better looking solution.

  A new television and antenna

  We replaced our old television with a new 26 inch Sony set. We do not watch a lot of television during a cruise, but it is convenient for watching DVDs, and it is fun to be able to watch your own films and stills. The sound packed up on our old set when we were in the Pacific. We tried to have it fixed on Tonga. When we got the set back there was neither sound nor picture! On the new set you could use a PC to show pictures, which was not possible on the old one. While we were at it we decided to install a new TV antenna from Raymarine, which would allow us to watch local television stations in the countries we were visiting. It is interesting and you learn a lot by watching local television, especially the news, which is often very informative.

  New apron plates for the bow anchor

  There is an apron plate on either side of the bow anchor that protects the gelcoat when you pull up the anchor. It can easily swing sideways and hit the top of the hull. These plates were so thin that they buckled when the anchor knocked against them, so they were replaced by thicker ones that were hardier.

  When we arrived at Orams I made an appointment with the suppliers for going through all the items on my list, so that everyone would be fully aware of what we wanted done.

  Ashore in Auckland

  On October 24, after we had talked to all the suppliers, the mast was struck and Yaghan was brought out of the water. It was the first time after she was delivered that her mast was removed. Striking the 1.5 t
on mast is normally a major undertaking, but at Orams it was a minor job. They had recently struck the mast of a 160 foot yacht – it weighed seventeen tonnes! Orams is one of the world's leading service shipyards for large sailing boats. When we arrived, Yaghan was the smallest of five foreign boats that were currently being serviced. The largest was Squall, a 172 foot Pirini.

  As of that day we could no longer live aboard Yaghan so we moved to the Westin Hotel, situated on the waterfront near Orams Marine. We stayed there for a couple of weeks before flying home to Sweden on November 10.

  Auckland was wonderful. In the Viaduct district there were plenty of nice restaurants within walking distance from Orams and the Westin. The Viaduct was a waterfront development with many luxury apartments. We found our favourite restaurant, the Soul, and we soon became regulars.

  During our time in Auckland we were able to start jogging again. We tried to run ten kilometres every other day. You could run along the waterfront in either direction. No one was afraid of being mugged in Auckland. Crime was not mentioned and we saw none being committed. This was the best place we had been to since leaving Europe!